Document coder

ABSTRACT

A document coder for selectively removing teeth projecting from the bottom edge of a card, thereby encoding the card, including an elongated horizontally disposed block having a slot in its upper surface for receiving and guiding the tooth-bearing edge of a card to be coded, and having a plurality of transverse horizontally disposed bores which communicate with both the exterior of the block and the card edge guide slot. Also included are a plurality of punch and die assemblies. Each assembly has a tubular bushing which is positioned within one of the transverse bores of the guide block and which is provided with a cross-slot both aligned with the card edge guide slot and communicating with a cylindrical bore formed in the bushing. The assemblies each further include a cylindrical punch slidably positioned within the bushing bore. The punch removes a card tooth registered in the bushing cross-slot when the punch cutting surface moves relative thereto. In a preferred form, the punch cutting surface makes angles of approximately 75* and 90* with vertical and horizontal planes passing through the punch axis, respectively. Also included in the coder is a spring biased card lock which is secured to a plate which defines a card insertion slot, and which has a gripper biased into the slot through an aperture in the plate for engaging the face of an inserted card and locking it therein. A movably mounted plate positioned in the card slot biases one of the vertical edges of an inserted card in a horizontal direction to properly align the card against a card registration surface located adjacent the other vertical card edge.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Thomas R. Bucy Dayton; Daniel J.Bandenburg, Cincinnati, both of Ohio [21 Appl. No. 833,080 22] FiledJune 13, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 23, 1971 [73] Assignee 0. K.Partnership Cincinnati, Ohio [54] DOCUMENT CODER 3 Claims, 20 DrawingFigs.

Primary Examinerwilliam S. Lawson AH0rm'y- Wood, Herrom & EvansABSTRACT: A document coder for selectively removing teeth projectingfrom the bottom edge of a card, thereby encoding the card, including anelongated horizontally disposed block having a slot in its upper surfacefor receiving and guiding the tooth-bearing edge of a card to be coded,and having a plurality of transverse horizontally disposed bore whichcommunicate with both the exterior of the block and the card edge guideslot. Also included are a plurality of punch and die assemblies. Eachassembly has a tubular bushing which is positioned within one of thetransverse bores of the guide block and which is provided with across-slot both aligned with the card edge guide slot and communicatingwith a cylindrical bore formed in the bushing. The assemblies eachfurther include a cylindrical punch slidably positioned within thebushing bore. The punch removes a card tooth registered in the bushingcross-Slot when the punch cutting surface moves relative thereto. In apreferred form, the punch cutting surface makes angles of approximately75 and 90 with vertical and horizontal planes passing through the punchaxis, respectively. Also included-in the coder is a spring biased cardlock which is secured to a plate which defines a card insertion slot.and which has a gripper biased into the slot through an aperture in theplate for engaging the face of an inserted card and locking it therein.A movably mounted plate positioned in the card slot biases one of thevertical edges of an inserted card in a horizontal direction to properlyalign the card against a card registration surface located adjacent theother vertical card edge.

PATENTEmuv '23 197i SHEET 1 [IF 5 I VENTORS I BYQM 5 w; %2/m PATENTEBunv23 Ian 3 622 O67 SHEET 2 UF 5 INVENTORS X434 M i W PMENTEDNUV 23 ml 3,s22 O67 SHEET 4 0F 5 INVENTORS PATENTEDunv 23 Ian SHEET 5 BF 5 DOCUMENTcomm This invention relates to coders, and more particularly to coderswhich encode documents, such as cards, by selectively removing one ormore teeth formed on the card edge.

In order that the coder of this invention, and the advantages itaffords, can be more easily understood 'the coder is described inconnection with its use in a particular mechanized data retrieval systemwith which it possesses an unusually high degree of utility.Specifically,the coder of this invention is described in connection withthe retrieval system disclosed and claimed in thecopending patentapplication of Robert D. Parry for Article Selection System," filed Aug.4, I967, Ser. No. 66l,758 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,877. In accordancewith a preferred form of the Parry system, a plurality of rectangularcards are provided on which data may be stored in the form of printedinformatlonymicrofilm or the like. Each card includes a plurality ofsawtooth or ramp-shaped teeth formed along one edge of the card,preferably the lower edge. To facilitate retrieval, the cards areencoded by selectively removing, or notching, one or more of the teethlocated along the card edge. The cards once encoded are randomly storedin a unique card selecting apparatus in face-to-face relation with theirencoded tooth-bearing edges lowermost. With the cards so stored, theencoded edges are operatively associated with a plurality of transversecard sorting bars which form part of the selecting apparatus. Thesorting bars cooperate with the card teeth, permitting all cards to besimultaneously searched and oneor more desired cards having apredetermined removed tooth pattern to be physically separated from theremaining undesired cards-not having the predetermined removed toothpattern.

In designing a coder capable of selectively removing, or notching, theencodable teeth formed on the cards used in the Parry retrieval system,a number of criteria must be satisfied if the coder is to becommercially feasible. For example, the coder must be made asinexpensively as possible consistent with reliable operation.Additionally, the punch and die assemblies of the coder, which inactuality perform the tooth notching, should be susceptive of easy andinexpensive replacement when they become dull. Finally, the coder shouldhave simply constructed and easily operated means for properly locatingand positively gripping a card when inserted into the coder. l

It has been an objective of this invention to provide a commerciallyfeasible card coder which is inexpensive and simple in design, andpermits easy replacement of the punch and die assemblies when dulluThisobjective has been accomplished in accordance with certain principles ofthis invention by providing a coder which includes the very novel andunobvious combination of an elongated card edge support block havingtherein a slot configured to receive and guide thetooth-bearing edge ofa card to be notched, and a plurality of notching assemblies removablylocated in suitably provided bores in the guide block which communicatewiththe card edge guide slot. The notching assemblies each include atubular body removably received in one of the bores of the card guideblock. The tubular body has an internal bore therein, and a cross-slottherethrough which communicates with the internal bore and is configuredto receive therein a tooth to be' removed. The notching assemblies eachfurther include a punch slidably positioned within the internal bore ofthe tubular body, and having a cutting surface cooperating with thecross-slot for removing the tooth registered therein when the punchslides within the bore.

An advantage of a coder incorporating the foregoing concept is that thenotching assemblies can be easily replaced when they become dull. It isonly necessary to remove the dull punch and die from its associated borein the card guide block, and insert a new one. A further advantage ofthe coder of this invention, particularly the novel and unobvious punchand' die, is that the punch is always assured of alignment with the die.The body within which the punch slides and is guided also serves toaccommodate the'die. Since the die is formed inguide means, namely, thebody in which punch is always in proper alignment with tegral with thepunch the punch slides, the the die.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the crossslotted tubular bodyconstitutingthe punch guide and die is in the form of a bushing, and thepunch is in the form of a cylinder slidably received in the bushingbore. An advantage of such a punch and die construction is that itpermits inexpensive screw machine parts to be utilized, and the diecrossslot provided with a minimum of machining, therebyikeeping the costof the punch and die assemblies within reasonable limits.

In accordance with certain additional principles of this invention, thecutting surface of the punch is oriented such that it makes angles ofapproximately and with respect to imaginary vertical and horizontalplanes passing through the axis of a horizontally disposed punch. It hasbeen discovered that with a punch cutting surface so angled, the powerrequired to selectively notch a card tooth is only approximatelyone-third as much as that required when the punch assumes other angularorientations such as when rotated 90 from the preferred angulation.

It has been a further objective of this invention to provide, in a coderwherein the card to be encoded moves past a series of stationarynotching assemblies, a card transport which has simple and effectivemeans for positively registering and looking a card in proper positionrelative to a suitably disposed card locating surface. This objectivehas been accomplished in accordance with certain additional principlesof this invention by providing, in combination with a pair of parallelplates spaced to define a card insertion slot, a third plate movablymounted between the pair of slot-defining plates. The movably mountedplate is biased to engage the vertical edge of a card inserted into theslot defined by the spaced plates and urge the card such that theopposite vertical edge thereof regist'ers against the suitably providedcard locating surface. Also provided is a spring-biased gripper mountedon the outside of one of the slot-defining plates. The spring-biasedgripper has a gripping member projecting through an aperture in theplate for selectively locking in the slot the inserted and properlylocated'card.

These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will becomemore readily apparent from a detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich:

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the card trans portincrementing mechanism utilized with the card notcher.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front of the card notcher.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the card notcher.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the card notcher.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6, but, taken along aline perpendicular to that of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the punch and die, showing theorientation-of the cutting surface of the punch relative to the'die.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 99 of FIG. 4, furtherillustrating the punch actuating means.

FIG. "10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I0l0 of FIG. 4,illustrating a card that may be notched in accordance with theprinciples of this invention.

FIGS. llA-llD are diagrammatic illustrations of a card, showing themanner in which it is notched on a field-by-field basis.

FIGS. IZA-IZF .are diagrammatic illustrations of a card of the cardnotcher tooth, showing the manner in which the tooth is successively Isheared along a base line by the punch and die of the preferred coderembodiment. I

For the purpose of more clearly understanding the structure andoperation of the coder of this invention, the preferred embodimentthereof is disclosed in conjunction with its use to notch a particulartype of card in conjunction with which it possesses an extraordinarilyhigh degree of utility. Specifically, the coder of this invention isdisclosed in connection with its use to notch a card 23 depicted inFIGS. 10 and 11A-11D, particularly, to notch the lower edge 230 of thecard which also has a leading edge 23a and a trailing edge 23b. Thelower edge 23c of the card 23, prior to edge notching in the coder ofthis invention is provided with a plurality of sawtooth or ramp-shapedteeth T, separated by complimentary sawtooth or ramp-shaped registrationnotches or spaces S. Each of the teeth T constitute a code notchablesite, and by removal or nonrernoval of the tooth T can be encoded.Preferably the code notchable edge 23c of the card 23 is provided with45 codable teeth T, comprising nine interleaved fields of five codenotchable teeth T per field. The first field includes teeth designated11,, b,, c,, d,, and e,; the second field comprises teeth a,, b,, c (1and e ;...and the ninth field comprises teeth b,,, c d and e The teeth Tof each field are selectively notched on a field-by-field basis by thecoder of this invention in a manner to be described in detail hereafter.

A preferred embodiment of a card edge notching coder, as best shown inFIGS. 1 and 3 constituting a perspective view of the rear and frontthereof, is seen to include a stationary main frame member 10. The mainframe member 10 is provided with a plurality of suitably dimensioned andconfigured locating surfaces for locating and supporting the variouscomponents of the coder in operative association with each other.Secured to the front of the main frame 10 is a subframe 12 having anelongated generally horizontally disposed dual purpose block 13.Subframe 12 also includes upstanding side columns 14 and 15 which areintegral with the dual purpose block 13 and located at the ends thereof.The dual purpose block 13 is provided with a longitudinal card edgeguide slot 16 open at the top and having a bottom surface 17 againstwhich rests the notchable edge 23c of a suitably inserted card 23. Thedual purpose block further includes a plurality of equally spacedtransverse through bores 18-1 to 18-5 positioned within each of whichare tooth notching punch and die assemblied 19-1 and 19-5, to bedescribed.

The coder further includes a card transport 22 which is adapted totransport a card 23, properly inserted therein, in the direction ofarrow 25a for the purpose of sequentially registering the code notchableteeth T in operative association with the tooth notching punch and dieassemblies 19-1 to 19-5. The card transport 22 includes generally planarfront and rear plates 27 and 28. The plates 27 and 28, which areapproximately parallel to each other, are spaced from each other,forming a card-receiving slot 29, by vertically disposed spacing plates30 and 31 sandwiched between the plates 27 and 28 at opposite endsthereof. Projecting from the rear surface 32 of the rear plate 28 are apair of guide blocks 33 and 34. Formed in the guide blocks 33 and 34 areupper and lower guide bores 33a. 33b and 34a, 34b, respectively. Upperand lower parallel guide rods 36 and 37, the opposite ends of which aremounted by the opposite side columns 14 and 15, pass through the upperguide bores 33a and 34a and the lower guide bores 33b and 34b,respectively, of the guide blocks 33 and 34. The guide blocks 33 and 34,in combination with the guide rods 36 and 37, mount the card transport22 for bidirectional transverse sliding motion in the direction ofarrows 25a and 25b. A shoulder 35 formed on the upper guide rod 36 abutsthe guide block 34, limiting movement of the card transport 22 in thedirection ofarrow 25a.

A card positioner 40 located in the card slot 29 is adapted to engagethe leading edge 23a ofa card 23 inserted into the slot 29 and urge itin the direction of arrow 25b, thereby abutting the trailing edge 23bagainst the inner edge 30a of the spacer 30 which functions as a cardlocating surface. The card positioner 40 includes a generallytrapezoidal shaped plate 41 having a thickness slightly less than thewidth of the card insertion slot 29 as established by the distancebetween the front surface of plate 28 and the rear surface of plate 27which surfaces face each other and cooperate to form the card insertionslot 29. The plate 41 is pivotally mounted at its upper left-hand comer,as viewed in FIG. 3, by a pin 42 anchored in the plate 28. Fonned in theright-hand vertical marginal edge portion 43 of the plate 41 is a slot44 (FIG. 4) which receives a portion of the leading edge 23a of a card23 properly inserted in the slot 29. A leaf spring 45 secured to theupper portion of the inner edge of the spacer 31 spring biases the plate41 in a counterclockwise direction about the mounting pin 42, as viewedin F1G. 3. With the plate 41 so pivotally biased a card 23 properlyinserted in the slot 29, with its leading edge 23a in the slot 44 of theplate 41, will be urged in the direction of arrow 25b to cause thetrailing edge 23b of the card to abut the card registration surface 30aof the spacer 30.

A card locking device generally indicated by the reference numeral isprovided to lock in place against the front surface of the plate 28 acard properly positioned in the slot 29 with its trailing edge 23b andbottom edge 23c in contact with the registration surfaces 30a and 17,respectively. The card lock 50 includes a pair of vertical leaf springs51 and 52. The upper ends of the leaf springs 51 and 52 are secured toand slightly spaced from the front surface of the front plate 27 bysuitable fasteners 53 and 54 and spacers 55 and 56. Secured to the lowerends of the leaf springs 51 and 52 are hemispherical gripping members 57and 58 which are aligned with oversized holes 59 and 60 formed in theplate 27. A horizontal cam rod 62 mounted for rotation about itslongitudinal axis by a pair of guide blocks 63 and 64 projecting fromthe front surface of the plate 27 is provided with a pair of spacedkinks 65 and 66 disposed between leaf springs 51 and 52 and the plate27.

In operation, when the cam rod 62 is rotated in the direction of arrow68 the kinks 65 and 66 urge the leaf springs 51 and 52 away from theplate 27 which in turn retracts the grippers 57 and 58 to permit a card23 to be fully inserted into the slot 29. When the cam rod 62 is rotatedin the direction 69, following insertion of a card 23 into the slot 29,the leaf springs 51 and 52 return to their inner position more closelyspaced relative to the plate 27, enabling the grippers 57 and 58 toproject through their associated holes 59 and 60 and urge the insertedcard against the front surface of the rear plate 28 to lock the insertedcard in position.

To enable the cam rod 62 to be rotated in the direction of arrow 68 fromits normal position, wherein it is urged in the direction of arrow 69 bythe leaf springs 51 and 52 which are biased against the kinks 65 and 66,a dual purpose actuator generally indicated by the reference numeral 70is provided (FIG. 3). The actuator 70 includes a vertically disposedlever 71 which is pivotally mounted at its approximate midpoint by a pin72 anchored in the spacer 31. A pin 73 also anchored in the spacer 31passes through an arcuate slot 74 formed in the lower portion of thelever 71 and serves to limit the pivotal motion of the lever. Extendingrightwardly from the lower end of the lever 71 and integral therewith isan ear 75. Connected to the free end of the car 75 is a cam 76 whichcooperates with a downwardly extending end 77 of the cam rod 62 which,relative to the cam 76, functions as a cam follower.

In operation, when it is desired to return the card transport 22 from aleftmost position (not shown) whereat the card transport resides at theend of a card notching operation. to the rightmost position, as viewedin FIG. 3, whereat the card transport resides at the beginning of a cardnotching operation, the upper end of the lever 71 is urged to the right.The application of force in a rightward direction to the upper end ofthe lever 71 slides the card transport to the right in the direction ofarrow 25b, and pivots the lever clockwise about the pin 31 to urge thecam follower 77 outwardly which in turn rotates the cam rod 62 in thedirection of arrow 68 to retract and disengage the grippers 57 and 58.

With the card transport 22 in its rightmost position, as viewed in FIG.3, and the grippers 57 and 58 in their retracted and disengagedposition, a card 23 is inserted into the slot 29. When the card isproperly inserted with its trailing edge 23b and bottom edge 23cregistered against the surfaces 30a and 17, the lever 71 is rotatedcounterclockwise about the pin 31 enabling the cam follower 77 to returnto its innermost position which in turn enables the 'cam rod 62 torotatein the direction of arrow 69 and effectively engage the grippers 57 and58 with the inserted card to lock the-card in the desired position. 3

, The tooth notch punch and die assemblies 19-1 to 19-5 are identical inconstruction and each include, as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7, a hollowtubular bushing 80 of generally cylindrical configuration having anouter cylindrical surface 81 and an inner cylindrical bore 82. A flange83 is integral with and extends radially from the inner end of thebushing 80. The diameter of the cylindrical bushing surface 81 isdimensioned to snugly and slidingly intertit in the bore 18. The flange83 is appropriately countersunk in the rear surface 84 of the block 13.The periphery of the flange 83 is provided with a semicylindricalaxially extending slot 85 which mates with a similarly disposedsemicylindrical threaded slot 79 formed in the block 13. Slots 79 and 85combine to fonn a threaded cylindrical opening for a locating andlocking threaded fastener 78 which locks the bushing 80 in the bore 18and locates it in proper angular orientation.

Slidably positioned within the bore 82 of the bushing 80 is acylindrical punch 87. The outer end of the punch is provided with anangulated planar surface 88. As best shown in FIG. 6, the planar surface88 preferably makes an angle A of 75 with an imaginary plane 90 passingvertically through the axis 89 of the punch 87 and an angle B of 90 withan imaginary plane 91 passing horizontally through the punch axis.

A cross-slot 93 is formed in the bushing 80in alignment with the cardinsertion slot 29 and the slot 16. The depth of the cross-slot 93 issuch that the bottom portions 94 thereof are flush with, orslightlybelow, the bottom surface '17 of the card edge guide slot 16. Thethickness of the slot 93 measured in the axial directionof the bushing80 is preferably equal to the width of the card insertion slot 29measured in the same direction. The diameter of the punch 87 is selectedsuch that, when the bushing 80is' positioned as indicated relative tothe bottom surface 17 of the card edge guide slot 16, the upper edge 96of the punch shears the tooth T, registered in crossslot 93, of aproperly inserted card 23 whose bottom and trailing edges 23c and 23bare resting against surfaces 17 and 30a at the tooth base on a slightlyarcuate shearline 97 (FIG.

Removal of a tooth T properly registered in the cross-slot 93 (FIGS. 10and 12A-12F) is effected by moving the punch 87 axially within the bore82 from the solid line position shown in FIG. 6 to the dotted lineposition. Movement of the punch 87 in this manner shears the tooth Tfrom the bottom edge 23c of the card 23 along the arcuate base line 97.Because the planar surface 88 'of the punch is angled as previouslydescribed, the base portions of the tooth T located along line 97 aresheared sequentially, starting at the comer' 101 of the tooth and movingtransversely in the direction of arrow 100 along the base line 97 untilthe opposite corner102 is reached. This sequential shearing of the toothT along the arcuatebase line 97, starting at corner 101 and advancing inthe direction of arrow 100 until corner 102is reached, whereat the toothis entirely severed, is best shown in the time staggered sequence ofFIGS. 12A-12F.

It has been discovered that with the punch end surface 88 angled asdescribed, producing the sequential cutting action depicted in FIGS.l2A-12F, the amount of power required to shear a tooth T along the baseline 97, and thereby effectively notch the card tooth, is approximatelyone-third (33 percent) of the amount of power required to remove thesame tooth with the same punch and die when the punch and die areoriented such that the surface 88; instead of being angled as describedpreviously, is angled such that the surface 88 makes an angle of 75 withthe horizontal imaginary surface 91 and an angle of 90 with the verticalimaginary surface 90. Stated differently, it has been discovered that byrotating the punch 87 90 about its axis 89 to the position describedpreviously, wherein the surface 88 makes an angle of 75 with thevertical imaginary surface and an angle of 90 with the horizontalimaginary surface 91, the power requirements necessary to remove, notch,or sever a tooth T are only one-third (33 percent) as much asarerequired when the punch 87 is oriented such that the surface 88 makes anangle of 75 with a horizontal imaginary surface 91 and an angle of 90with the vertical imaginary surface 90.

It is significant to note that because the transverse slot 93, which incombination with the punch 87 acts as a die, is formed in the bushing80, and because the bushing slidably receives the punch 87 within itsbore 82, the punch 87 is always in proper alignment with the diecross-slot. Thus, the bushing 80 performs the very important dualpurpose of functioning as a die, when provided with a cross-slot, andguiding the punch 87 relative to the die cross-slot 93, assuring properregistration of the punch and die. Additionally, by virtue of using across-slotted bushing as both the die and the punch guide means, whenthe die cross-slot becomes dull, replacement thereof is easily made bymerely disengaging the locking and locating screw 78. This permits thebushing to be withdrawn and a new bushing substituted therefor. Finally,the combined punch guide and die bushing can be fabricated by slotting astandard screw machine bushing, enabling the cost of the combined dieand punch guide to be kept to an absolute minimum.

To selectively actuate the punches 87 a plurality of punch actuatingmechanisms 105-1 to 105-5 are provided. As best seen in FIGS. 3, 9 and10, the punch actuating mechanisms 10 5-1 to 105-5-are of identicalconstruction, and each include a lever 106 disposed in an aperture 107formed in a horizontal plate 108 of the main frame 10. The lever 106 ismounted for pivotal movement about a horizontally disposed rod 109secured to the bottom surface 110 of the frame plate 108. The upper endof the lever 106 is forked, providing a pair of parallel upstanding yokeears 111 between which is positioned the end 113 of the punch 87. Theyoke cars 11] are provided with slots 114 which receive the oppositeends of a pin 115 which passes transversely through the end 113 of thepunch 87. The pin 115 establishes a driving connection between the yokeears 111 and the punch 87.

The lower portion of the lever 106 provides a downwardly extendingfinger or strap 117. Cooperating with the lever 106 is a solenoid havinga horizontally shiftable core 121 which has its outer end slotted toreceive the depending strap 117. A pin 122 passing through the solenoidcore 121 and having its central portion positioned in a slot 123 formedin the strap 117 establishes a driving connection between the solenoidcore 121 and the lever 106.

A tensioned coil spring 124 connected between one of the upper yoke ears111 and a stationary bracket 125 secured to the upper surface of theplate 108 of the main frame plate 110 biases the lever 106 in acounterclockwise direction about the rod 109, as viewed in FIG. 9. Withthe lever 106 so biased the punch 87 is normally urged to the retractedposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 6Actuation of the punch 87 toadvance it to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 6 is effected byenergizing the solenoid 120, which retracts the core 121 moving it tothe right as viewed in FIG. 9. This pivots the lever 106counterclockwise advancing the punch 87 to the left as viewed in FIG. 9.Advancement of the punch 87 shears a tooth T properly positioned in themanner described previously. Upon deenergizationof the solenoid 120, thespring 124 returns the lever 106 and the punch 87 to their normalpositions shown in FIG. 9. An elongated ridge 129 projecting upwardlyfrom the upper surface of the frame plate 108 and common to each of thelevers 106 of punch actuators 105-1 to 105-5 is provided to limit thecounterclockwise return motion of the levers 106 under the action of thespring 124. Preferably the ridge 129 is covered with a suitable layer ofresilient material 130 to reduce wear of the parts and the level ofnoiseaccompanying punch actuation.

In operation, to effect notching of the nine fields of five teeth eachon a field-by-field basis a card 23 is inserted in the slot 29 and itslower and side edges 23c and 23b urged against the surfaces 17 and 300.With the card transport positioned in its rightmost position, as viewedin HQ 3, the punches 87 of the punch and die assemblies 19-1 to 19-5 arealigned with the notch sites a,, b,, c,, d,, and e, of the first field.Selective notching of the teeth a,, b,, c,, d,, and e, of the firstfield is effected by selective energization of the solenoid 120 of theactuators 105-1 to 105-5 in any well-known manner. For example,selective energization of the solenoids 120-1 to 120 may be accomplishedby using a keyboard console and control circuit constructed inaccordance with the principles disclosed and claimed in the copendingapplication of Kalthoff et al. entitled Console and Control Circuit,"filed Apr. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 539,792, the entire disclosure of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference. When one or more of the teethdesignated a,, b,, c,, d,, and e, of the first field have been notched,the card transport 22 is advanced in the direction of arrow 2511 adistance equal to the width of one tooth. This changes the relationshipof the punches 87-1 to 87-5 relative to the teeth T of the card edge 230from that shown in FIG. wherein the punches are aligned with the teetha,, b,, c,, d,, and e, of the first field to that shown diagrammaticallyin FIG. 11A, wherein the punches 87-1 to 87-5 are aligned with the teethdesignated 0,, b d,, and e of the second field. With the card andpunches aligned as shown in FIG. 11A the solenoids 120-1 to 120-5 areagain selectively energized to activate the punches 87-1 to 87-5 andnotch or remove the desired teeth of a b;, c 4' and 2 of the secondfield. When the desired teeth have been notched in the second field thecard transport 22 is again shifted in the direction of arrow 25a adistance of one tooth width, aligning the teeth (1 b 0 ,21 and e, of thethird field with the punches 87-1 to 87-5, as shown in H6. 11B. Thesequence of solenoid energization and tooth notching, and thereaftercard shifting a width of one tooth, continues until the teeth a,,, 11,,c 11,, and e of the ninth field have been notched as shown in FIG. 11D.

A chip collector 131 detachably secured to the front of the main frame10 and subframe 12 collects the teeth removed from the cards 23 duringthe tooth notching operation.

To facilitate shifting the card transport 22 in the direction of arrow25a in increments of one tooth width an incrementing device 135 isprovided which is constructed in accordance with the principlesdisclosed in the copending application of Kalthoff et al. entitledCoder, Ser. No. 539,708 filed Apr. 4, [966, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference. The incrementing device 135 includes afirst lever 136 which is generally horizontally disposed and pivotallymounted about a pin 137 anchored in the rear surface 32 of the plate 28.The lever 136 is provided with a downwardly extending detent 136a at itsfree end. The incrementing device 135 additionally includes a generallyhorizontally disposed lever 138 which is mounted for horizontal slidingmovement a distance of one tooth width relative to the lever 136. Thisslidable mounting of the lever 138 relative to the lever 136 isaccomplished by providing a longitudinal slot 139 in the lever 136, anda pair of pins 140 anchored in the lever 138 which project rearwardlyand engage the slot 139. The length of the slots 139 is sufi'icient topermit the lever 138 to move relative to the lever 136 a distance equalto the width of one tooth T. A tension spring 142 connected between theguide block 34 and the lever 138 urges the lever 138 to the rightrelative to the lever 136, as viewed in FIG. 2, and additionally tendsto maintain both levers horizontally disposed.

The incrementing device 135 also includes a multitooth de tent block144. Detent block is mounted for pivotal movement with the guide rod 37,the guide block being rotatable in columns 14 and 15. The detent block144 has nine teeth t,!,, corresponding to the nine fields of teeth onthe card. The teeth 1,-!,, on the detent block 144 are spaced atincrements equal to the width of the teeth T of the card. Alternaterotation of the guide rod 37, and hence of the detent block 144, indirection 145 and 146 is effective to increment the card transport 22the width of one tooth notch T, in a manner to be described. To

rotate guide rod 37 a solenoid 147 having a retractable armature 148 isprovided. The armature 148 is pinned to the free end of a lever 149 theother end of which is fixed to the rotatable guide shaft 37. The lever149 is normally biased upwardly by a tension spring 150 connectedbetween the lever 149 and a tab 151 secured to the guide rod 36. Astationary abutment 152 secured to the main frame 10 limits the upwardmotion of the lever 149.

With the solenoid 147 deenergized the detent block 144 is angled suchthat the detend 138a of lever 138 engages one of the teeth r,!,, of thedetent block 144. To increment the card transport 23 the solenoid 147 ismomentarily energized. This retracts the core 148 which in turn pivotsthe detent block 144 in the direction of arrow via the link 149 andguide rod 37 (FIG. 2). When the detent block 144 momentarily pivots inthe direction of arrow 145 the tooth t, of detent block 144 which wasengaged with the detent 138a of the lever 138 now becomes engaged withthe detent 1360 of the lever 136. Detent 138a is now disengaged withrespect to detent block tooth 1,. With the detent block tooth 1,,engaged with the detent 136a of lever 136, the lever 138 is free to moverightwardly relative to the lever 136 under the action of tension spring142. When the lever 138 moves to the right relative to the lever 136 itsdetent 138a advances the width of one tooth as established by the lengthof the slot 139, aligning the disengaged detent 138a of the lever 138with the successive tooth 1 of the detent block 144. At this point thedetents 136a and 138a are spaced by a distance equal to one tooth width,with the detent block tooth t, engaged with the detent 1360 of lever136.

Now when the solenoid 147 is deenergized and the tension spring pivotsthe detent block 144 in the direction of arrow 146, the detent blocktooth I, which was engaged with the detent 1360 of lever 136 becomesdisengaged and the successive tooth! of the detent block 144 which wasaligned but disengaged with the detent tooth 1380 now becomes engagedwith the detent tooth 138a. Since the lever 138 is relatively movablewith respect to the plate 28, and hence with respect to the cardtransport 22, the plate 28 shifts in the direction of arrow 250 adistance of one tooth width, that is, the distance defined by the lengthof the slots 139, until the pins 140 engage the opposite ends of theslots 139. A tension spring 155 connected between column 14 and bracket156 secured to plate 18 advances the card transport 22. At this pointthe card transport 22 has advanced the width of one tooth notch and thedetent 138a of the lever 138 is engaged with the second tooth t of thedetent block 144 and both detents 136a and 138a are aligned. The cardtransport 122 is sequentially incremented by repeating the foregoingprocess through successive momentary energizations of the solenoid 147.

To reposition the card transport 22 in the leftmost position, as viewedin FIG. 1, to engage detent block tooth 1,, with detent 138acorresponding to the position prior to initiation of a card notchingcycle, the lever 71 is urged to the left (FIG. 1), moving the cardtransport in the same direction. To permit such movement, withoutinterference from detent block 144 and lever detents 138a and 136a, thelevers 136 and 138 pivot counterclockwise about pin 137 as the cardtransport moves leftwardly (FIG. 1).

We claim:

1. Apparatus for selectively removing a tooth formed on the edge ofacard, comprising:

a card edge support block having a guide slot formed therein into whichis positionable the tooth-bearing edge ofa card, said support blockhaving a bore formed therein communicating with said guide slot and withthe exterior of said support block,

a tubular body positioned within said support block bore and having aninternal bore therein and having a crossslot therethrough beingconfigured to receive therein a tooth of a card whose tooth-bearing edgeis positioned in said support block guide slot,

a punch slideably positioned within said bore, said punch having acutting surface cooperating with said cross-slot for shearing said toothreceived in said cross-slot when said punch slides within said bore andsaid cutting surface moves past said cross-slot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support block bore iscylindrical, wherein said tubular body is a bushing having a cylindricalexterior surface slideably and removably received in said cylindricalsupport block bore, and wherein said bush-

1. Apparatus for selectively removing a tooth formed on the edge of acard, comprising: a card edge support block having a guide slot formedtherein into which is positionable the tooth-bearing edge of a card,said support block having a bore formed therein communicating with saidguide slot and with the exterior of said support block, a tubular bodypositioned within said support block bore and having an internal boretherein and having a cross-slot therethrough being configured to receivetherein a tooth of a card whose tooth-bearing edge is positioned in saidsupport block guide slot, a punch slideably positioned within said bore,said punch having a cutting surface cooperating with said cross-slot forshearing said tooth received in said cross-slot when said punch slideswithin said bore and said cutting surface moves past said cross-slot. 2.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support block bore is cylindrical,wherein said tubular body is a bushing having a cylindrical exteriorsurface slideably and removably received in said cylindrical supportblock bore, and wherein said bushing bore and said punch arecylindrical.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said punch cuttingsurface makes an angle of approximately 15* with the plane of a cardpositioned in said guide slot and makes an angle of approximately 90*with an imaginary plane passing through said tooth-bearing card edge ina direction perpendicular relative to said card plane.